DOCUMENTARY newborn session faq
what type of images does your newborn sessions include?
My newborn sessions at your home will include mostly documentary style photographs of your newborn with siblings, parents, and his/her surroundings as well as, closeups of their tiny feet, hands and eyelashes! I’ll bring a few swaddles that we can use for solo pics in a nursery or on a bed and to make it easier for siblings or parents to hold your newborn. This session is here to document your child in his/her surrounding- images of baby in their home, outside their home, in the nursery or simply on the floor!
Your story will be told with you in the pictures, photojournalism style! This is my favorite kind-of storytelling- the beginning of a new family. Genuine, authentic, real, and raw. Examples of these scenes might include your newborn in their crib, giving him/her a bath, a curious sibling watching over while they sleep, or reading your newborn a book.
When do we book?
It is recommended that you schedule your session before giving birth, this allows us to talk about your vision for the session, color themes, style and reserves you a spot in my schedule. Please feel free to correspond via email or phone with any questions while you are pregnant. If this is a last minute idea, please let me know and I will check my calendar.
When do you shoot the session?
Newborn sessions should be scheduled between 5-14 days after birth, with the most optimal time being 7-10 days. After 14 days, your newborn starts to sleep less, cry more, stretch more and grow- making your baby a bit harder to calm. We can also photography anytime in the first 30 days to capture all the littleness, if the first 14 days are just too booked with sleeping and eating and feeding!
Where do you shoot?
Your home! Do not worry about cleaning your house. I will find several spots in your home with the best natural light, even one window can work! We can also use different areas like your master bedroom, the nursery, or even outside. I used to offer studio sessions in my home, however, I've decided the most caring and loving photographs are shot at clients homes, where the story begins and where your newborn lives. I will bring 2-3 swaddle colors and a light reflector for darker areas.
how long does the session last?
Each baby is different and each session is different. Newborn session times range between 1-2 hours depending on how sleepy, calm and patient your newborn is or their siblings. Sometimes the sessions can go very smoothly from one transition to the next and other times, your newborn needs a little more calming and soothing or feeding. During the session, there will be a point when your newborn or sibling or partner may be fussy and hungry - this is NORMAL. We will take a little break for some much needed soothing and eating and start again when they are ready. Sessions with siblings can also take a little more time.
What is your newborn photography style?
Full of light. Natural. Focused on your newborn. We can start out with baby swaddled in your swaddles or mine and then go from there! I love getting your newborn comfortable on their back swaddled first and then snapping those first precious shots hopefully while she/he is dreaming off to sleep. I get up-close shots of their little eye lashes, their tiny nose, and their face. As I want to document them just as they are, a newborn- pictures of them being unswaddled, getting dressed, laying in the middle of the bed, tummy time in their crib or even taking a bath. As stated above, I believe in photographing, thus documenting for you, what your newborn does- holds their hands close to their face, yawns, wakes, or stretches. My next goal is to make sure I document the relationship between parent/siblings and your newborn- this is the most important part to me as many of us take so many solo pictures of our newborn or our partner and very few of the 3, 4 or 5 of us! Your love for your newborn will show in my pictures, the emotion and the sweetness of this new little life!
